


The Calm Before the Storm

by TheManicMedic



Series: Kai'li'mara [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Imperial Officers (Star Wars), Old Republic Era, Sith Empire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2020-11-27 22:37:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20956052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheManicMedic/pseuds/TheManicMedic
Summary: Sergeant Major Kai'li'mara of the 506th Recon Battalion is on her way to the Battle of Corellia.





	1. Chapter 1

The room was tense as Colonel Jurat briefed the officers under his command. This was the big one and everybody knew it. The entire war hinged on the outcome of this invasion. And for the men and women of the 506th Recon Battalion, Imperial Infantry, the sooner the war ended, the sooner the survivors would get a chance to relax. The dead, of course, wouldn't have to worry about anything. "Are there any questions?" he asked the room. When no one responded, he sighed. "I am assured that the Republic is not anticipating our attack," he said with his dry sense of humor. It had the desired effect as there were light chuckles from the others. Intelligence kriff-ups were part of the game and everyone knew it.

Standing at parade rest, just to the Colonel's left, was his assistant. While she enjoyed the man's sense of humor, her face betrayed nothing. The Chiss woman, wearing a black dress uniform simply scanned the room, playing the same game non-commissioned officers across the galaxy have played for centuries. "He's not gonna make it," she thought to herself. "Neither is she. He's gonna hide and be shot for cowardice. That one will probably make it and get promoted. That one's gonna hide and get promoted..." and so on until she had assessed the likely outcome for each officer in the room. Her predictions were usually accurate. The only future she couldn't predict was her own. Not that she didn't think about it. Having begun her service at the tail end of the last war with the Republic, the alien Sergeant Major had faced death countless times and had beat it every single time. There were plenty of close calls, though. In her eleven years as a soldier, Kai'li'mara...Kai to the few she trusted enough to get close to her...had been shot, stabbed, set on fire, and been hit from shrapnel from an exploding 'pub artillery shell. But, somehow, she always pulled through.

Many would attribute it to luck. The self-righteous Jedi would claim some higher purpose awaited the snarly woman with the completely non-regulation mohawk. But those closest to her, her surrogate father to her right or her bomber pilot fiance, would simply chalk it up to thick headed stubbornness. Whatever the reason, Kai was still alive and she was going to do her duty. As the Colonel finished the briefing, he turned and nodded to her. She quickly snapped to attention, signaling the others to do the same with a loud "Room! Tench-HUN!" As the others rose and stood at attention, Colonel Jurat looked them over one last time, smiling sadly. "I won't see all of you after this," he said truthfully, "but I am honored to fight alongside you all. Dismissed."

With that, the assembled crowd began to disperse, making their way to their companies and platoons to pass along the information given at the briefing. Kai tried to give reassuring smiles to a couple green lieutenants, but it didn't work as they looked more frightened than before. "Ah well. Maybe they'll be scared I'll kill 'em if they screw up," she mused silently. "Sergeant Major," the Colonel called. "I have everything ready. Be at the transport at 0300 hours. Until then, I believe there's someone who wishes to speak with you," he said before moving aside. 

Before the non-comm stood a human woman, roughly the same height with a similar lithe frame. She wore the uniform of a Naval pilot, gold wings shining against her flat black uniform. Kai stood at attention again, though it was more to mess with the new arrival. The human laughed and gave Kai a playful shove. "At ease, Sergeant Major Smartass." She then embraced the Chiss, sighing happily. "Did you ask him?" Kai nodded and looked at the Colonel who smiled. "It would be my pleasure to give Kai away, Lieutenant. Pain though she is, she is practically a daughter to my wife and me." That drew a laugh from the women. "Thank you, sir," Kai told him. "But not even the Emperor is gonna get me into a dress." The Colonel huffed and turned to leave. "That'll be all, Sergeant Major. Lieutenant."

Once the superior officer left, the two embraced again, this time sharing a soft kiss. The Naval officer looked at the holo, showing some of the details of her fiance's mission tomorrow. Her expression dropped a little as she quickly understood. "You're the first ones in?" Kai nodded, saying nothing. They both knew it would exponentially cut down the odds of the Army grunt's survival. The human closed her eyes, pulling the Chiss close for another embrace, this one tainted by fear. Kai returned the hug, trying to put those fears aside for now. "Elyssa, sweetheart. I love you with all my heart and I promise to try and come back alive." Elyssa's eyes shimmered with tears that were quickly blinked away.

"I noticed you said 'try.' You're gonna have to do better than that, Sergeant Major, or I will personally plant my boot in that blue behind of yours," Elyssa said, trying to put on a brave face. Kai played along, giving the other woman a snappy salute. "Yes, sir!" Elyssa laughed and nodded. "Good. Now let's get something to eat. I'm starving." Kai nodded and smiled, turning off the holo and following her love to the galley.


	2. Chapter 2

The two made their way through the ship, Kai making smartass comments along the way and Elyssa laughing at each one. Finally, they arrived at the galley and stood in line for their food. There were bantha steaks, assorted vegetables, and plenty of sweets. "Fattening us up before the slaughter," Kai observed with an ironic chuckle. Elyssa sighed and grabbed a couple of steaks. "Should have joined the Navy. We eat like this all the time." This time Kai's laugh was genuine. "Yeah yeah," she told her love. "Shut up and enjoy. Last hot meal for weeks. Blah blah blah."

After loading up on food, they found a few of Elyssa's comrades seated at a nearby table. "Mind if we sit," the human asked. The group of pilots looked up from their meals and, except for one, smiled. "Elyssa! Sergeant Major!," one of the older pilots exclaimed. "Please join us." The one with the surly expression scoffed. "A non-comm? And an alien to boot? Pass." Before Kai could knock him on the deck, the senior looked at him. "Get up and walk away, Ensign. Now." The chastised Ensign looked at his fellow pilots before standing and walking out. The senior pilot looked back at Kai, giving her an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that, Sergeant Major. He's fresh out of the Academy so he hasn't had a chance to filter out the propaganda yet."

Kai dismissed the insult with a wave of her hand. "No big deal, Captain. I'm used to it. Besides, you stick jockeys don't know what real fighting is, anyway." The remaining pilots howled with laughter. "That's because we're smarter than you ground pounders," one retorted. "We fly in, drop our bombs, and get back to the ship in time for afternoon tea while you're slogging through swamps." This time it was Kai's turn to laugh. "Well I never claimed to be a genius." The two women sat down and began to eat. "Is it gonna be bad for your battalion, Sergeant Major?," the Captain asked, picking at a piece of fruit. Kai sighed and nodded. "Yes, sir. We're going in first to scout for hidden defenses before the main landings. Command anticipates upwards of 80% casualties." 

The information kind of took the wind out of everyone's sails as the task at hand approached. These weren't drills anymore. People were going to die. A lot of them by the sound of it. The Captain nodded before looking around. After he was satisfied that no one was looking, he took out a flask, taking a sip and handing it across the table to the alien non-comm. Kai smiled, took a swig, and handed it to Elyssa. Once she had a sip, the flask made the rounds to the others at the table. "Good luck, Sergeant Major," the Captain told her. "And you, sir," she said, looking at the others. "All of us." With that, the strange pair stood, returned their trays, and walked silently together for a while.

Once they found their way to Elyssa's quarters, the human could tell she was about to cry again. Kai could see it, too, so she attempted to change the subject. "Ahem. Got a message from your dad. He said that he's made his peace with his daughter marrying an Army grunt," she said, giving Elyssa her trademark half-smirk. "I didn't think he'd ever come around. But I guess enlisted, even former enlisted, are worse than officers when it comes to service pride." Elyssa laughed and nodded. "Give him a break, Kai. We're a Navy family. Now come on. 0200 is gonna be here before we know it." Kai followed the woman she loved to Elyssa's bed. There was a half-hearted attempt at love making, but neither one was especially in the mood. After giving up, Kai held Elyssa and gently stroked her hair until the human woman fell asleep. Kai didn't sleep, though. She ran different scenarios through her head so very little would catch her by surprise if her transport made it down safely. It was a ritual she had practiced every night before a landing and it had always worked in her favor. Finally, she looked at the chronometer and saw 0200 staring back at her, the cold, indifferent numbers silently telling her that it was time. She allowed herself one tear before wiping it away and putting on her game face. Silently slipping out of bed, she kissed Elyssa one last time before heading to grab her gear. It was time.


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't take long for Kai to gather her gear. Instead of the big, bulky armor preferred by other soldiers, she wore the lighter, albeit less protective scout armor. This allowed her to use her natural athletic abilities to avoid danger and death. After cinching the last piece on, she went to the armory. Thankfully it was run by a friend of hers who had been severely wounded, but still wanted to stay in. He handed over her trusty blaster pistol and some grenades. Her vibroknife was where she always kept it, tucked just under the armor at the joint of her left elbow. That way, she could reach it easily in case she found herself fighting hand to hand.

She made her way to the hangar and saw some members of her battalion already standing there. Each of them lined up when she arrived, preparing for the same pre-combat ritual that they had done on countless deployments. She walked up and, without a word, shook their hands, bopped them gently on the helmet, and punched them in the shoulder six times. This ritual was repeated silently in the hangar for each trooper. Many of the deck crew saw the ritual of five oh six as superstitious nonsense, but the soldiers boarding the transports didn't care. Most were combat veterans, but even the rookies knew how important this was to each member of the battalion. 

When it was over, the Colonel walked in and Kai called everyone to attention. "At ease," he began. "Our orders are to get in before the main invasion force, clear out any Republic defenses, and hold the area. As you who have followed me into combat know, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. However, I have absolute faith in you all. You will make our Empire, our Sith superiors, and each other proud. Send them to become one with the Force." Kai was always proud of the Colonel. He wasn't a screamer who demanded respect as though it was his right as an officer. He led but didn't micromanage, trusting his subordinates to do their jobs. He wasn't a bully, threatening and punishing at will. He was a true leader and his soldiers would follow him into anything.

After his speech, there wasn't any cheering or chest thumping, no overblown signs of bravado. Each man and woman there was a professional, there to do a job. And they would get it done or die trying. The Colonel nodded and, all at once, the officers and NCOs began giving orders to their troops. When each company, platoon, and squad was loaded, the Colonel gave their pilot the order to take off. They were on their way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PTSD-trigger warning. This is hopefully the first in a series of stories about my original character from SWTOR. Unless stated otherwise in the notes, all original characters are from my demented little brain. I hope you enjoy.

The pilot flew out of the hangar and pointed the nose of the transport toward the planet. Kai braced herself for incoming fire from any Republic fighters in the area, but there was none. That made her nervous. The same odd expression on Colonel Jurat's face did nothing to assuage her fears. This wasn't right. It was no secret that the Empire was coming for Corellia. They had all but announced it across the galaxy. "What the Hell are they doing, sir?" she asked in a hushed whisper. Colonel Jurat simply shrugged as he studied the scanner readout. He looked around the cabin, carefully studying the faces of the men and women under his command. Some of the more seasoned veterans had noticed the same discrepancy. A couple of the newer troopers took the lack of incoming as a sign that the Pubs had simply given up, abandoning the people of Corellia to their fate. They sighed with relief, chuckling a little at how worked up everyone was acting.

"Maybe they haven't picked us up yet," Kai offered though she herself didn't believe it. "Perhaps," said the Colonel. "But doubtful." Suddenly, the ship rocked from the impact of a heavy blaster bolt. Alarms rang loudly in the small ship and smoke appeared in the cabin. "Helmets on!," Kai ordered as she rose to her feet. "We're still twenty seconds from atmo! Switch to internal oxygen and get on your feet! We're jumping into a hot LZ!" As Kai barked orders, the Colonel and the pilot looked out the window. There were still no fighters around. That shot came from the surface. 

Each trooper did as they were told, quickly putting on and sealing their helmets. After each gave a thumbs up, the pilot hit the button, opening a panel and sucking the smoke out into the cold vacuum of space. Unfortunately, a rookie had forgotten to lock themselves in place and she tumbled out as well, her screams echoing through each helmet until she was out of range. The pilot slammed the button again, closing the door as they neared the atmosphere. More blasts rocked the shuttle as they broke through. The Pubs knew they were coming.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PTSD warning. The 506th enters combat in earnest this chapter.

"Shut off that damn noise," Kai yelled through her intercom. The co-pilot did as he was told while the pilot deftly maneuvered through the increasing anti-air blasts. The cabin was quieter, though the explosions outside could clearly be heard. Kai looked over at the Colonel who, despite the chaos going on around him, was still eerily calm. He nodded to Kai who looked back at the other troopers. "Ten seconds! We're jumping in three second intervals! Form up as soon as you hit the ground!"

She moved toward the door, slamming the button with her fist. Air rushed in as Colonel Jurat jumped into the darkness. After counting to three, the next jumped. It continued until there were only two left. "Come on, trooper! Let's go," Kai barked. The trooper froze at the door as another explosion rocked the cabin. She looked into the cockpit to see both pilots had been killed. Finally, she grabbed the larger trooper and fell out of the transport door, the transport exploding behind them as they fell through the pre-dawn sky. 

She instinctively looked down, trying to get a quick tactical assessment. Some of the troopers who had already landed were engaged in firefights with the occupying Republic forces.  
She pulled her chute and felt the sudden jerk as it deployed. The trooper who had frozen in the door did the same, but he was in the wrong position. The steel cables wrapped around his legs and his chute was a tangled mess. She could see him frantically working to get it fixed before he impacted the ground. "Private, this is Sergeant Major," she said calmly into her headset. "Lean back and slowly untangle the wires." She could hear his panicky breathing in her headset, but he did as ordered. The chute righted itself and he too began floating gently into the fray.

They landed a few feet from each other and Kai looked around for others from her battalion. She found bodies of some who had died in the jump or who had been killed in skirmishes with Republic troops. Some survivors made their way through enemy fire to her location, looking at her to get them to their objective. Something clanked against her helmet as she checked the map. It was a thermal detonator. She picked it up and threw it back in the direction it came from just before it exploded. "Little busy here," she yelled in the direction of the enemy.

One of the Imperial troopers Kai recognized was Staff Sergeant Kerreck of Besh Company. The big Zabarak moved quickly and stealthily despite his large frame. He fell behind some cover near Kai, coming up occasionally to fire at the nearby Pubs. "Sergeant Major, I saw the Colonel about two clicks north. He's trying to assess how many people he has left." Kai nodded and looked around. "You seen any officers, Kerreck?" He fired his blaster rifle again. "None still in fighting shape. But we're not all on the ground yet. Captain Mixl is scheduled to jump in any minute." She absorbed the information as she studied the map. "Alright," she told the survivors. "We have three hours to clear out the surrounding area. If Command doesn't hear from us by then, they're gonna assume we're dead and start orbital bombardment. I don't want to be here when that happens, do you?" She looked at each of them who responded with a vigorous shake of the head. "Good," she said. "That means we do our kriffin' jobs. Kerreck, you take point and get us to the Colonel. The rest of you, form up but stay spread out. I don't want these idiot Pubs getting a lucky shot on more than one of us. Move it!"

Each trooper nodded, picking up their gear and following the Zabarak non-comm. As Kai waited for her turn, she grabbed the dogtags from each of the fallen troopers in the area.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PTSD warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I got injured at work and been trying to recover.

Kerreck led the troopers through a storm of fire and shrapnel. Other Recon troopers were landing, including Captain Mixl. A dark skinned human universally respected, Captain Mixl quickly took command of the troopers gathered. "Set up a base of fire on the windows," he said, pointing at a building that the Pubs had turned into a strong point. He then pointed at Kai and three others. "Clear it out. We'll give you as much support as we can." Kai nodded, not waiting to see if the others were following. 

She threw her body against the outer wall as the three others arrived. She pointed at one who kicked the door open before quickly ducking out of the way. Kai primed a detonator, holding it just a little longer than necessary before throwing it inside. There were screams as it detonated, blasting rubble out the open door. Kai and the others ran inside, killing any survivors with blaster fire. They repeated the maneuvers for each room until they'd cleared the entire building. She peaked out a window, waving a small Imperial flag in the direction of Captain Mixl and the blaster fire immediately ceased.

The four made it back safely and continued making their way to the Colonel's last known location. "Sergeant Major," the private who froze in the transport said. "I'm sorry about that. It's my first time in combat." Kai nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, kid. Happened to me my first time, too. Standing order that everyone gets one chance to adjust." She turned and faced him, her expression cold. "It happens again, I'll kill you myself." The trooper nodded. "It won't, Sergeant Major," he said, finding his courage. Kai's expression didn't change, but she was proud of him. She knew the Empire punished cowardice swiftly, but she also knew how jarring it was to experience combat for the first time.


	7. Chapter 7

The troopers arrived at the Colonel's command post shortly thereafter, greeting the ones already there and sharing information about the drop or missing and dead friends. Captain Mixl and Kai were summoned to the makeshift shelter the Colonel had set up as an office. "Captain. Sergeant Major," he said in greeting before opening a holo map. "Word from Command. We're being retasked. There's an anti-air turret playing havoc with our air support." Kai felt a knot in her stomach but ignored it for the moment as Colonel Jurat continued. 

"Sergeant Major, normally, you would be attached to my hip. However, we don't have many officers or senior enlisted available at the moment." Kai nodded, thinking that the initial drop must have been worse than she thought. "We'll get it done, sir." The Colonel returned the nod before turning to Captain Mixl as Kai walked out. She playfully punched Kerreck in the shoulder. "Come on, ya big idiot. We got a job to do. Grab five troopers and tell them weapons only. We're taking out an anti-air turret." Kerreck raised an eyebrow, silently asking about Kai's stomach knot. The Chiss woman sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. But if she's alive or dead doesn't matter right now. We have to get it done." Kerreck shrugged and stood, stretching a little before going to bark at the younger troopers going on the mission.

Kai was patching a hole in her armor when another trooper approached. It was a new lieutenant. "Sergeant Major, I'm leading this mission," she said without preamble. Kai looked up from working on her armor to see a Twi'lek woman, her lekku covered by light plating. Kai felt the urge to tell her where she could stick that plating, but decided to say nothing. The Colonel had warned her about her mouth getting her into trouble so now was not the time. The lieutenant shifted on her feet as the red eyes assessed her. Finally, the Chiss spoke. "How many combat deployments have you had, lieutenant?" The Twi'lek, already red skinned, went a little more red as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "That's none of your business, Sergeant Major," she said defensively. "That's what I thought," Kai rejoined. She stood, slinging her armor over her shoulder. "I don't care who gets the credit, lieutenant. I just want to get it done. So here's how it's gonna go. You're gonna shut your mouth, follow orders, and, most importantly, watch and learn. Then, if you do all of that without getting yourself killed, I'll put it in writing that you led the successful mission and did a great job. Clear?" It helped that Kai had the height advantage, the Twi'lek being about eight inches shorter than the Chiss. After a tense moment, the Twi'lek cleared her throat and nodded. With that acquiescence, Kai's demeanor changed. She smiled and punched the rookie lieutenant in the shoulder, though a little harder than the playful one she delivered to Kerreck. "Great. Get your gear, lieutenant. We head out in five."


	8. Chapter 8

Kai, Kerreck, and the rest of the squad made their way through the rubble, getting into a couple minor firefights along the way. This time, Kai was the point person, her well trained eyes darting across the shattered landscape. They heard the cries of wounded all around them. Imperial, Republic, civilians were all being wounded or killed in this maelstrom. But she couldn't think about that now any more than she could worry about Elyssa. 

She turned a corner and could see the anti-air turrets at the top of a building. She waved Kerreck and the Twi'lek lieutenant over, handing the Zabarak her binoculars. "What do you think, Kerreck," she asked. He surveyed the scene briefly before handing the binoculars to the lieutenant. "Well, Sergeant Major, I have some thoughts, but I'll defer to the el-tee," he said with a smirk. 

The officer either missed or ignored the veiled insult. "Seems straightforward to me. I don't see much opposition. A couple of sentries and, presumably, the gun crew." The two NCOs shared a look as Kai turned the binoculars to the right and left. A sheepish "oh," from the lieutenant as she saw the carefully concealed firing positions. "Yeah," Kai said. "Oh."

The trio went back to where the other troopers were waiting. "They've got two heavy guns set up the main road to the objective. We go straight up the middle, they'll cut us to pieces in the crossfire. Suggestions," Kai asked the group. The lieutenant was a little surprised that the senior non-comm in the battalion was asking privates and corporals for input. But she reminded herself that she's supposed to be learning so she kept the thought to herself.

One corporal put his hand up. "Um. We could try the back?" he offered but both senior NCOs shook their heads at the same time. "No good," Kerreck told the man. "Most likely, they have a similar set up on the other side." Another trooper, this one a private first class, put her hand up and Kai rolled her eyes. "Kriff me running. We're not in school. You got something to say, say it." The PFC nodded and began to lay out her plan. Kai and Kerreck looked at each other, smiled, and nodded. It was risky, but it had potential.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai and her squad take a big risk to complete their mission.

One of the sentries sighed heavily. There were Imps that needed killing but he was stuck here playing babysitter for the gun crew. He looked at the other sentry, thought about striking up a conversation, then changed his mind. She was too gung-ho. She'd probably start some nonsense about the glory of the Republic and the righteousness of the war. He had a migraine and didn't feel like listening to that crap right now. So he just kept his eyes open. 

He saw a couple of Republic troopers heading towards the building, one clearly wounded as they were being helped along by the other. The two sentries moved forward, weapons trained on the newcomers. "Names and units," the female sentry ordered. The non-wounded trooper took off their helmet. It was a red skinned Twi'lek. She was clearly shaken. "Please! You have to help us! We're from the 21st Infantry. Our position was overrun! Our platoon was wiped out and the Imps are coming this way!" The wounded trooper said nothing, only groaning a little. 

The male sentry looked back in the direction from which they came, then back at the new arrivals. "Come on," he said, reaching out to help support the wounded trooper. "We have medical supplies inside." The female sentry wasn't so sure, keeping her rifle aimed at the Twi'lek. Another groan of pain came from the wounded trooper. The male sentry looked back at his partner. "Come on! Give me a hand!" She hesitated before slinging her rifle over her shoulder. She got on the other side, supporting the weight of their comrade. All four made their way inside.

Kerreck, observing through the binoculars, allowed himself a small chuckle. "They did it," he told the rest of the squad...and their two unarmored prisoners. He checked his chronometer. "Eight minutes. They aren't out by then, we assume that they're either dead or captured. Either way, we go with Plan B."

Kai and the lieutenant were taken inside. There weren't many troopers around. "That's good. This job is gonna be hard enough with just the two of us." She was taken to a makeshift medical lab where other wounded soldiers were being treated. "Poor bastards," she thought to herself. She knew that the first thing the medics would do would be to remove her helmet. The game would be up at that point because Chiss, even Chiss disavowed by the Ascendancy, worked for the Empire so she had to be ready. She surreptitiously removed her vibroknife and palmed it, the steel cutting through her glove and into her hand. She ignored the pain and waited for her moment to strike.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scenes of violence ahead

The medic reached forward to grab Kai's helmet. The next thing she knew, she had been slammed against a wall with a vibroknife held to her throat. "Not. One. Word," the Chiss growled softly. The medic nodded, a controlled fear evident in her eyes. Kai returned the nod and pulled the knife back. "Now. I have a job to do and I'm gonna do it. You have two options. One, you can stay here and watch your wounded. Or two, I can kill you all. I'm no Sith. If I were, you'd all be dead before you knew what happened. But I know you and me are just grunts. So make your choice." The medic still said nothing. Instead, she picked up the stolen Republic helmet and handed it to the intruder.

Kai put the helmet on before walking out of the room. She stopped at the door and looked back at the medic. "By the way, if I hear an alarm, the bomb I set in here goes boom. Don't get them killed, Sergeant." The medic's eyes went wide in shock at the threat but she remained calm. "I...I understand," she said. Kai nodded and left. 

She found the lieutenant beginning to make her way up the stairs. "Sergeant Major," she whispered. "Come on." The Chiss pulled her blaster pistol out and followed. They heard the sound of the turret firing and someone giving orders. The lieutenant looked around the corner quickly, assessing the situation. "No guards at the door," she told Kai. "Roll in a couple of detonators and run like Hell?" Kai nodded and primed a detonator. The lieutenant did the same, nodding a silent count. On three, they threw the detonators inside. 

Two loud explosions rocked the building as the turret went silent. Kerreck heard the explosion and picked up his rifle. "That's our cue," he told the squad. "Covering fire!" The squad began shooting at the concealed gun positions, keeping the soldiers there pinned down as Kai and the lieutenant came running full speed out of the building. They lept over the barrier, laughing as the rubble took Republic blaster bolts. "Come on," Kai told the group. "Let's get...where are the prisoners, Kerreck?" The large man simply gave her a smirk. Kai sighed, knowing full well what happened. Her mood darkened as she once again took point for the return trip to the command post.


	11. Chapter 11

The group decided to take a different route back to the command post. The possibility of being caught was high if they went back the same way. The lieutenant was up front with Kai, neither of them saying anything but the earlier tension between them had dissolved with the completion of their mission. The main landings had started, Imperial warships dropping like heavy toys in a bathtub. They could see transports, escorted by fighters, coming out of the larger cruisers and making their way down. Kai smiled at the sight, proud to be part of it.

The lieutenant cleared her throat. "So, Sergeant Major. Do I pass?" Kai chuckled a little at the question. "We're not back alive yet, Lieutenant." The young officer laughed and nodded. "Fair enough, Sergeant Major. But I think I...Sergeant Major? What is it?" Kai had stopped, frozen solid. The Chiss didn't drop or tell the others to take cover. She just stood there, eyes wide in shock. The lieutenant turned to see what the woman was looking at and saw the NCO running toward a downed Imperial bomber. Kerreck came running forward to see why they'd stopped and saw it, too. "Oh no," the man said to himself. He ran past the confused Twi'lek toward Kai.

Kai was already looking in the cockpit as the others ran up to join her. "Oh no. No no no no no," she said softly. The lieutenant turned to Kerreck. "What's wrong, Sergeant?" Kerreck frowned, unsure if he should say anything. Finally, he said "that's her fiance's ride. She's a bomber pilot with 25 Squadron. Looks like she didn't get back to the ship." The lieutenant nodded and looked back at Kai, still looking through the wreckage. The two approached carefully and could see the cockpit was empty. Kai sighed and stood up straight, looking at the surrounding terrain. "No drag marks. She walked out of here. That's my girl," she said proudly. 

Kerreck, having noticed the same thing punched Kai gently on the back of the shoulder. "See, Top? She's not too bad for a Fleet puke." Kai chuckled and nodded before taking a deep breath. "Alright. Let's get back to the CP." The lieutenant was startled by Kai's apparent lack of desire to find the woman she loved. "Wait. Don't you want to try and find her?" Kai turned, her expression cold. "Of course I do, you tail-headed idiot." The lieutenant wasn't thrilled by the slur or the insubordination, but said nothing as Kai continued. "But we have a job to do and we're gonna do it. If we get the okay, we'll go, but until Colonel Juraat says so, we follow orders. Understood, sir?" The lieutenant nodded, more than slightly pissed at being dressed down like that, but she also knew the Chiss was right. "Lead the way, Sergeant Major."

Kai nodded and turned, giving one last look at the wreckage before resuming their march. Kerreck patted the lieutenant on the shoulder. "Don't take it the wrong way, el-tee," he told the woman. "If she didn't like you, she would have just punched you in the mouth." The lieutenant snorted before she could stop herself then cleared her throat. "Ahem. Thanks, Sergeant."


	12. Chapter 12

"Sir," Kai said as she returned to the Colonel. "Mission accomplished. The el-tee can brief you." She turned and started to leave when he cleared his throat. With a barely audible sigh, she turned back to face her surrogate father and snapped to attention. "Apologies, Colonel. Guess I hit my head a little harder than usual." He raised an eyebrow in disbelief which usually meant he knew she was lying but wasn't going to call her out. Instead, he turned to the Twi'lek officer standing just behind the Chiss.

"Well, Lieutenant. You survived your first mission. Congratulations. And, more importantly, the mission was a success." He motioned for the woman to come forward, which she did with a sympathetic side glance at Kai. "Yes, sir. The Sergeant Major and I infiltrated the building and blew the turrets. They won't be giving our pilots any more trouble, Colonel." Kai said nothing and only a keen observer would have noticed the jaw clench at the implication in the Lieutenant's words.

The Colonel was a keen observer but he said nothing for the moment, allowing the Lieutenant to continue with her report. "It was difficult, sir, but we got some Pub uniforms from a couple of prisoners." Colonel Juraat nodded. "And the status of these prisoners," he asked. The Lieutenant hesitated so Kai spoke up. "Dead, sir. Shot while trying to escape." Another eyebrow raise from the Colonel. "Indeed? Lieutenant, the Sergeant Major is familiar with both the Empire's policy and my completely different policy regarding captured POWs. The next time prisoners are 'shot while trying to escape' while under your care, you will answer to me personally. Is that clear?" His voice was calm as usual but the message was clear. 

She began to protest. She was blowing up the anti-air guns when the prisoners were killed. It was that big oaf who...but she stopped herself. She was learning quickly. "Yes, sir," she said. Both the senior officer and the senior non-comm were impressed. She could be an asset, provided she lived long enough to further her career. "Dismissed, Lieutenant. Sergeant Major, a word." The Lieutenant snapped to attention and turned to leave. As she passed, she knocked Kai on the shoulder. It was an abbreviated version of the same gesture each member of the 506th received before going into combat. Kai nodded but remained at attention. 

Once she was gone, the Colonel waved a hand, signaling Kai to stand at ease. "What is it, Kai," he asked without preamble. She sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's Elyssa, sir. We found her bomber shot down not far from the objective." This time, the Colonel sighed. "I see. Was she...?" Kai could only shrug. "Don't know, sir. We didn't see her body and there weren't any drag marks. She survived long enough to climb out and get away."

Colonel Juraat smiled in spite of himself. "Well done," he said with a little pride in his voice. "Then we assume that she's missing in action unless we discover otherwise." A nod from the Chiss. "Agreed, sir. The El-Tee actually wanted to try and find her. The thought crossed my mind, sir. But Elyssa has a job to do and so do I."

"I understand, Kai," he told her. "And I wish I could allow you to go after her, but the truth of the matter is we have our hands full. However, I can make an official inquiry with her CO. I'll come find you after we've spoken. Dismissed." She came to attention and turned to leave again when he said "you're not getting out of the wedding that easily, Sergeant Major. My wife has her heart set on it." Kai bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as she left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I have any regular readers of this but, if I do, I apologize for the delay. As my username implies, I'm a medic in the middle of a pandemic. I'll try and get some more knocked out as I can.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first in what will hopefully be a series of stories about my original character from SWTOR. Unless stated otherwise in the notes, all original characters are from my demented little brain. Also, there's not a lot about the enlisted side of the Imperial military so I'm using different things as a guide. I hope you enjoy.


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